Anxiety Disorder Symptoms in Japanese Children and Adolescents

This study investigated anxiety symptoms in Japanese children and adolescents. Students 9-15 years old (N=2275) completed the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS). The internal consistency and test-retest reliability of the SCAS were satisfactory. Scores for overall anxiety symptoms and each subscale were similar between Japan and other countries. Girls reported more anxiety symptoms than boys, and adolescents presented with fewer anxiety symptoms than younger children, as in previous studies. The items most frequently endorsed by Japanese students were different from those endorsed by Western students, although lower frequency symptoms were almost the same. Factor analyses using multi-group analysis supported a common model of anxiety for children and adolescents. Clinical applicability and research implications are discussed.